Malls have sure taken on a sophisticated, super sized, rather sterile-looking appearance these days. I like to look back at some of the Boston area malls of the past that had a modest, imperfect look -- and with some added "fun factors." Here are some examples:
How about the amusement park rides located at the south side of the then open-air North Shore Shopping center in Peabody? The fast-moving "POW" ride scared the heck out of me!
Anyone recall when the Burlington Mall was just one story?
Do you remember the Methuen Mall? It's not there anymore, demolished in 1999 -- amazing, given the impressive mix of stores and overall size of this shopping area. They had a Jordan Marsh, Sears and about 70 other stores.
What about the older version of Shoppers World in Framingham? This two-story, open courtyard mall was one of the first malls in the country and featured a Jordan Marsh with a dome, Kennedy's Clothing Store, a movie theater, a water fountain with colored lights and some heartwarming Christmas designs during the holiday season. I loved Shoppers World's beautifully landscaped village green look, surrounded by the 40 or so stores. Sadly today, Shoppers World looks like any other retail shopping center in our country.
What memories do you have of area malls that differ greatly from the malls of today? Please comment below!